Stress Management Tips for Pandemic Healthcare Workers

In the age of coronavirus, healthcare professionals and frontline workers are put under immense pressure to help save lives, prevent the spread of COVID-19 and care for those who are sick. This mounting pressure is a breeding ground for intense feelings of prolonged stress that can have a negative impact on your mental and physical health. Utilizing daily stress management practices can be a helpful tool to ensure you’re healthy and able to provide the best care possible to your patients.

1. Keep a consistent routine

Amid chaos, it’s important to keep a consistent routine. While your work life might be hectic, keeping a consistent morning and evening routine can be helpful in bringing the structure needed to ensure you can build in time to take care of yourself. Additionally, having the consistency of a set schedule and routine outside of work can be helpful in fostering a positive sense of control in these uncertain times.

2. Take care of your body

When it comes down to it, taking care of yourself physically is essential so that you can provide the best care possible to others. Start with your diet. Your body needs nutritious fuel to give you the energy to perform well at a physically and mentally demanding job. A healthy diet will give you exactly what you need to power through a tough workday and still leave you with enough energy to care for yourself at the end of the day.

Also, consider getting regular exercise and a full 8 hours of sleep each night. Exercise can not only be a great way to work off and shed stress, but it can also boost your mood and energy levels throughout the day. Additionally, lack of sleep negatively impacts your mental health and contributes to feelings of stress, anxiety and depression.

3. Practice self-care

Practice healthy self-care. While this may look different from person to person, the concept is to take a break from the grind of daily life to do something relaxing, enjoyable, and that helps bring you peace. Schedule a time each day to relax in a hot bath, meditate, or pick up an enjoyable hobby. Designating this time for yourself each day can help you wind down and even reward yourself for a hard day’s work.

4. Be aware of unhealthy coping

According to a study by the Journal of Clinical Nursing, approximately 20 percent of nurses struggle with an addiction to drugs or alcohol. These nurses are also less likely to get help out of fear of punishment or discipline within their workplace. Those in high-stress jobs, like healthcare workers, are more likely to use alcohol or drugs to cope with the stress or trauma they experience at work.

Check in with yourself often. Be aware of what you use to cope with stress or trauma and how often you’re using these things. If these habits can cause you physical or mental harm, consider trying new, healthy stress management tools. If you are struggling to cope in a healthy way or feel that you might be abusing drugs or alcohol to deal with stress or trauma, seek professional mental health or substance abuse help.

5. Set boundaries

Be aware of the temptation to overwork or skip breaks because things are so busy. With hospitals and doctors’ offices busier than normal, the urge to push yourself beyond your breaking point is strong. But you need to make sure you’re not pushing yourself too hard. Breaks during your shift and during the workweek are essential to helping you recharge so that you can continue helping those in need.

6. Communicate

The CDC recommends communicating with your coworkers and supervisors about job stress. Talk openly with how the pandemic is affecting your work. Often you can provide mutual support to your coworkers through shared experience and motivation. Having an open line of communication can not only help heal from trauma but can help identify factors that are causing stress and work together to implement solutions. Your workplace can also help connect you with specialized mental health resources if you’re struggling to cope with stress or trauma.

7. Take breaks from the news and social media

The truth is, at the end of a stressful or mentally draining workday, the last thing you need is more negativity. Limit your time when consuming news and social media. This way, you can still keep up to date without letting the content consume you. Adding a little time to scroll into your schedule is ok. Just make sure not to forget to put the phone or computer away and focus on caring for yourself mentally and physically.

8. Stay connected

With many healthcare workers coming into contact with those infected with COVID-19 regularly, it’s common for many them to be quarantining and self-isolating during their off-hours. Physical isolation doesn’t always have to mean complete isolation. Make sure to stay connected with family, friends or support systems from a safe distance. They are there for you to lean on when you need it. Feeling stressed or upset? Call up a friend, family member, or mental health professional to vent. They may have helpful solutions or encouraging words that can help take the weight off of your shoulders.

9. Seek professional help

Know that it’s ok to ask for help. If you’re struggling to cope with feelings of stress, anxiety, sadness, or even trauma, consider reaching out to a mental health professional. They can help you identify and cope with causes of stress and anxiety as well as help you healthily process and work through depression and trauma. Many hospitals and medical facilities have resources set up to provide mental health support to their staff. Consider talking to your supervisor for more details on what resources are available to you.  If you don’t feel comfortable seeking help within your workplace, organizations like Project Parachute and CoronavirusOnlineTherapy.org can help connect you with mental health professionals specializing in supporting frontline workers. These organizations may also connect you with mental health professionals who are providing care pro bono or at low cost.

Ultimately, being a healthcare worker isn’t an easy job. When you throw a pandemic into the mix, it sometimes feels impossible. But if we care for ourselves and each other, we can make a real difference and make it through this together.